The Joy of Work

Reader mail and subscriber responses are one of my favorite parts of writing a weekly inspirational blog. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the value of connecting with clients, patients, and customers on more than just a digital format such as email, texts, or social media. (www.lionspeak.net/the-knowledge) I contended that while we use all those modalities to communicate, sometimes you simply can’t replace picking up the phone or connecting intentionally with someone in person.

Soon after, I received the following email from one of our subscribers, Alicia Morris:

“You are so right about the personal touch with patients. 90% of the patients love it and want it. Service with a smile (it’s not about you!) Compassion and caring will win a friend (aka) a faithful, loyal patient every time. I applied those principles for over 23 years and it works, it works, it works!

The perks in doing this was loving my job and looking forward to going to work every morning. I made friends that, even today after moving away and leaving that office, still send me Christmas cards and thank you notes… and I retired over 10 years ago! It was a career I loved. I still grieve over the inability to comfortably stand on my feet 8-10 hours a day to continue doing it. And last, but by no means least, I had a happy doctor with a full appointment book and patients that showed up on time!

Thanks for listening to my ramblings but your post brought so many wonderful memories I just had to encourage you “to keep on keeping on” teaching your principles of a successful practice especially from the front desk perspective. I did attend your classes in Atlanta at the Hinman one year and quickly became a fan.”

It was a great reinforcement for sure, but what struck me most about this note was her unmistakable joy about her work. She contends that “loving her job and looking forward to going to work every morning” are perks of the compassion and caring she showed to her patients. But, I might argue a different cause and effect relationship. Could it be that demonstrating that level of compassion and caring actually produces the quality of relationships and satisfying results that help to increase the amount of joy we feel in our work?

There is no question that the amount of significance we feel we have and the impact we make has a direct affect on our level of satisfaction at work. If we don’t feel we’re making a difference or having a positive and important impact but rather just going through the motions of doing a job to get a paycheck… we can’t help but miss out on an elevated level of joy and gladness with our work.

This week check in with yourself and make sure that you are building a professional life and body of work that will leave you feeling like Alicia when you look back on it all years later. Do what it takes to be really present, build deeper relationships, and serve at a higher level so that your significance and impact increases, thus driving your joy and love for your work to the stars!

“I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance.”~Pablo Casals